Gigas
The Gigas are a powerful bipedal species native to the planet Belias. Natural characteristics include 4 arms and tough armour-like hide, as well as an affinity for fire and immunity to its effects. History Throughout the long history of this species, they have undergone many developments, originating on the outskirts of a volcano, they have been birthed in fire since they were first spawned, and so have built up a natural resistance to it, and in fact worship it as the ultimate power. At the first stages of evolution, the only feature that allowed the Gigas to survive was their extremely thick hide, which at that point was in fact an armoured scale covering their entire body. However, after surviving for many many years, they grew to be able to stand on two legs, and it is believed that it was around this time that their peculiar second set of arms appeared, while they still used their primary front arms mainly for movement, a second set developed. Eventually, through survival of the fittest, it came to be that a rough society was formed, dubbed the Gigas, split into clans, all of whom fell under the leadership of a Shaman, members of the species who had far greater than average strength, endurance, and intelligence, but most importantly of all, had the pores which excrete the viscous substance which allows the Gigas their greatest weapon, the ability to create and throw fire, covering their entire body, which due to the inherent immunity to fire and temperature (hot or cold) of any sort in every Gigas, allows them to set themselves alight and be completely unharmed afterwards. For many years, they developed as a species, even coming across other races, such as the Flame Claws, similar to their own (and which some believe are actually merely a different path along the evolutionary chain which developed from the same source as the Gigas), and the Guardian Dragons, powerful airborne hunters, with thick scales that are almost impenetrable to any Gigas weapon. These were soon tamed, and the Gigas moved on, developing the weapons they had learned to forge using their own natural abilities, and growing as a people, though moving little in the way of culture or science. With the Flame Claws as their steeds on the ground, and the Guardian Dragons being an airborne means of movement for their most skilled warriors, they quickly spread across the landscape. However, at some point during this expansion of the Gigas, they came across the Nasrian. Capable of flight, and far nimbler and in greater numbers than both the Gigas and the Guardian Dragons they rode upon, the Nasrians aggresively engaged the Gigas, beginning a war between the two that has raged for well over 30 generations of Gigas. While the Gigas were more powerful warriors and had the long range power of their fire, and allies they could call upon, the Nasrians reproduced almost as quickly as the Gigas could kill them, and with no way to turn the tide due to the overwhelming numbers and air superiority of their enemy in larger engagements, the war is not going well for either side, with the only developments in technology lying in weaponry and armour. Society The Gigas are primarily cave-dwelling creatures. They group together in groups known as clans, with each being ruled over by a single Shaman, though there may be other,less powerful Shamans in the same clan. A strict caste system is in place, largely based on fighting prowess for males, though only proven through combat in wars and battles with others, as fighting another Gigas, especially to the death, is very frowned upon. This system flows from the Shaman of the Clan, down to lesser Shamans, down to Chieftans, down to Dragoons, down to War Chiefs, down to Heavy Cavalry, down to Warriors, down to Youngling Warriors, who exist at the very bottom of the chain. Female Gigas are treated entirely seperately from the males, but always with respect. Women have no authority to make clan decisions, and are not built for battle, but are treated as the equal of each individual Gigas they come across, save for the Shamans. Each Gigas pairs for life with a partner of their choosing, and the female is given full choice in the matter as much as the male party. In Gigas society, a child is born as one of 4 or 5 carried by a female in a single term, and once they have reached a point of being able to stand on their two legs, they are immediately removed from the mother, so that they may give birth again. Once taken from their mothers, the Younglings are placed into the care of a War Chief, who will train them in the ways of combat, with many weapons and how to use their power. After they have mastered the basic trainings of the Warrior, each Youngling is taken before the Shaman of the Clan to find if they have the ability to become a Shaman also. Regardless of this, they continue with their training and fighting as a Youngling until they reach a point of maturity, when they are welcomed as a full Warrior. From this point, they fight as a leader of a squad of Younglings, or they fight alongside fellow warriors under their superiors, depending on skill, experience, and the mission at hand, unless they are a Shaman, when they are removed from the Warrior caste to be taken into their specialised training. Once a certain level of experience is reached, most Gigas are given the opportunity to ride a Flame Claw, becoming a member of the Heavy Cavalry, though many cannot master this, and so proceed down the path of the War Chief, which is a longer and more arduous path to the same goal, the Dragoon. Once a Gigas Warrior reaches the rank of War Chief, whether through the path of the cavalry, or the warrior, they are given a chance to take the Ascendance of the Flame Ritual, in which they attempt to tame their own Guardian Dragon. This is necessary to prove that only those worthy of the respect of the Dragons will ride them. Any Gigas may choose any Dragon, and in fact this is also the mark of a true Dragoon. Many ambitious Gigas attempt to capture a Dragon far too powerful for them to master, and so pay the price, while those who find their match will often win the respect necessary to become a rider. Communication with the Dragons has been established for many generations, and after this the pair will often form a tight bond, though only if the Dragon respects their rider, another reason for the ritual. Shamans are also given the opportunity to become riders of a Dragon, but are never given the title of Dragoon, due to the title of Shaman superceding it. While a Dragoon will serve at the highest level of the clan, advising the Chieftan, and leading military campaigns, only one is capable of becoming the Chieftan. This is not a life-long position, and is decided on the whim of the Shaman of the Clan, based on the power and wisdom of the Gigas and Dragon pair. The holder of this title can change at any time, and with it come responsibilities for leading the Warriors of the clan, and developing strategies to ensure victory for their troops. While Chieftan is the highest rank of Warrior, and for any ordinary Gigas, those blessed with the power of the Shamans are immediately elevated above this rank. They are put into intensive training of body and mind, and are responsible for all development of technologies, weapons, the running of the clan, and providing the intellect and support to the Warrior castes on more difficult missions. The Shaman of the Clan is a position often held for many years, as unlike the Chieftan position, the title must be fought for. If a Shaman wishes to become the Shaman of the Clan, he must defeat the current Gigas holding that position. However, despite the power the younger Shaman must have to make this claim, it is often found that the more experienced warrior will win regardless, with one Shaman often holding the title until they are too old for battle. The fight is not to the death. Fire is revered as the source of ultimate power for the Gigas, though they do not worship it as a traditional God might be, merely being fascinated by it. The Shamans lead this worship, and ignite themselves before every battle as a sign to the Gigas and their enemies that the power of fire flows through them, for morale purposes. Biology Anatomy The Gigas are a bipedal race of creatures, who stand anywhere between 8.5'(for Younglings and Females) and 14'(for powerful Shamans) tall, weighing anywhere between 1 and 2.5 tonnes. They have 4 powerful arms, two very large, muscular arms, known as the primary arms, and a smaller pair closer into the body, known as the secondary. The primary arms are believed to have been front legs at one point, before the Gigas stood on two legs, while the secondary arms developed at the time when evolution was beginning to change them to bipedal creatures, before the primary arms became arms. A semi-unique aspect of Gigas anatomy is their two-way pore system, which allows for the excretion of a highly flammable, viscous, and sticky liquid which catches fire as soon as it is provided with the Oxygen in Belias' atmosphere, and can be thrown or used as a natural flamethrower, being an effective projectile and also being a sticky fire, not coming off once it has struck. This particular feature of the Gigas is common to all branches of their evolutionary tree, including the Flame Claws and the Guardian Dragons. While Younglings, the Gigas have purple fur lining their body, covering their hide, but once they reach maturity, the colour changes to a vivid orange/red, similar to the colour of the fire they are affiliated with. A peculair aspect of Gigas development, is that they keep their first armoured head's shape within their torso as they grow, providing them with a thick armour plating on their chest which is easily as strong as the armour crafted for the rest of their torso. Female Gigas are black in their earlier years, though when they reach the age where they can reproduce, they also change colour, but to a bright white, which slowly dulls as years go past until a dark grey is reached, where their child-bearing age has passed. Life Cycle While it is rare for a Gigas to reach a natural end to their lives, due to the constant war which rages between the Gigas and the Nasrian, the life expectancy of a healthy male Warrior is approximately 74 years. Shamans and women are on equal terms, with a higher life expectancy of 82, though it is recorded that many Shamans of the Clans can live on until 90 years of age of more. The average period of fertility for a female Gigas is 45 years, with each being capable of carrying a full group of Younglings every year for a 6 month gestation period, and the average Gigas reaching maturity at around the age of 15. Eating Habits The Gigas are omnivores by nature, though they prefer meat to vegetation, they always require certain minerals and vitamins from plant life that they cannot find from their hunts. Another important role of the Warriors, particularly trainee Younglings, is to find and kill sources of meat, while women are tasked with finding suitable plants and vegetables for the clan. Recently, the Gigas have begun to develop an agriculture, recognising the need for a greater and more reliable food supply in the face of the Nasrian, who hinder their efforts to hunt traditionally too often for it to be a reliable supply for the clan. Equipment and Technology Technology The Gigas as a race are roughly on par with 13th century Earth in terms of their technology in general, with above basic tools for crafting, and an exceptional metalworking ability, which means their weapons are far beyond the 22nd century Earth, though in materials and forging quality only, rather than the diverse way in which human technology broadened, such as firearms, which have not been explored by the Gigas. They have discovered many ways of utilising their natural materials in armour for both them and the beasts they ride, weapons for themselves, and defences for their clans, but the lack of development in other areas would likely lead to their classification by other races as savage and/or primitive, despite their high intelligence levels, especially within the Shaman class. Weapons The Gigas specialise in melee weaponry, complimenting their natural physical prowess, and fight wearing heavy armour, though due to their prodigous strength, it does not encumbre them at all. Within the arsenal of the Gigas, several different types of weapon can be found, including: *Gigas Greatsword *Gigas Warhammer *Gigas Great-axe *Gigas Halberd *Gigas Gauntlets *Shaman Staff *Shaman Sword-Stave All of these weapons are forged from the latest material research by the Shamans, which has resulted in a metal which the Gigas call Beliantium, and is almost indestructible, even allowing a Gigas to take direct blows from a fully grown Guardian Dragon when encased in armour forged from the same alloy (though the armour is not permitted in the Ascendance of the Flam Ritual because of this). This comes in two different forms, available depending on the class which the Gigas belongs to. These are: *Beliantium Plate Armour *Beliantium Weave Economy While the Gigas do not have a practicing economy as such, with every member contributing towards the tribe in return for their membership. The three main aspects of the Gigas "economy", in increasing order, are, in increasing order of importance: *Hunting Lodge *Military Training Grounds *Shaman Cave Temple Within these, structures, most of the important tasks relating to the running or continuity of the tribe take place. Military The Gigas military is the main aspect of Gigas society, with every male being inducted into it at a young age, and serving their entire lives until they are either killed or are too old to fight any longer. The heirarchy of the Gigas military is a rigid one, though there are a few exceptions. At the very top of the ranks, with final say on any military operations and campaigns, is the Chieftan. They are followed by the Shaman ranks, who while not officially part of the military structure, are so vital to military operations not only for their fighting prowess, but also for their morale boosting and influence. The elite ranks follow them, beginning with the Dragoons, then the War Chiefs, of which there are two who respectively, command the infantry, and cavalry brigades of the Gigas Military, while the Chieftan is always the commander of the Dragoons, in addition to his higher duties as head of the clan military. Each Clan of the Gigas has their own army, though the Gigas Military is a collective organisation of all of these together, for greater strength. The armies currently involved in the combined military are: *N/A Category:Races Category:Gigas